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Yandle, Halpern lift Coyotes over Kings 4-3

Published on NewsOK
Modified: March 18, 2014 at 1:30 am •
Published: March 18, 2014

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Phoenix Coyotes celebrate their first goal against the Los Angeles Kings in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Los Angeles Monday, March 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Quick missed a chance to tie Rogie Vachon's franchise record of 171 wins. Darryl Sutter will also have to wait for his 500th regular-season victory as an NHL coach.

"I think we could have been a little bit more desperate on the two goals they scored, in terms of making plays in our own zone," Sutter said. "That is back-to-back games where we have made basic checking mistakes in our own zone. We need some more out of our top guys."

The Kings outshot Phoenix 15-2 in the second period, turning a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead. Gaborik got the puck in the low slot from Anze Kopitar and took a shot that glanced off defenseman Derek Morris' stick and over Smith's glove. It was his eighth goal this season and second in six games since he was acquired from Columbus on Feb. 5.

"Quite honestly, the score should have been quite higher both ways if you look at mistakes that were made and the big saves the goalies had to make," Sutter said.

Smith, who leads in games played, starts, saves and shots faced, withstood an early barrage from the Kings before the Coyotes took a 2-0 lead. Klinkhammer scored his 11th goal on a rebound at 6:33, and Boedker added his 17th during a power play.

"I know how good they are here. They have such a great blue line, and so many good forwards. So it was big for us to find two points in regulation," Doan said.

The Kings got to 2-1 when Pearson, in his third stint with the club this season, scored his second goal in 14 NHL games at 17:02 of the first. Los Angeles tied it at 6:50 of the second with Martinez's eighth goal.

Phoenix's Martin Hanzal, who returned after missing seven games with a lower-body injury, got an assist on Klinkhammer's goal.

NOTES: The Kings are 126-2-11 in their last 139 regular-season games when leading after two periods. The only other regulation loss was on Jan. 22, 2013 at Colorado. ... Kings F Justin Williams is expected to play in his 200th consecutive game on Thursday. He would become the 13th different player in franchise history to reach the figure, including Kopitar, who holds the club record with 330. ... Gaborik has 21 goals in 30 career games against Phoenix. ... Pearson's first goal came in his regular-season debut on Nov. 14 against the New York Islanders. ... Yandle leads Phoenix with 49 points, including an assist on Boedker's goal.